











Dui | TNS 


OF THE 


Agricultural Experiment Station 


UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 





VOL 2 


BULLETINS 17-36. 





August, 1891--August, 1894 





URBANA 
1894 





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é 


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! 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


BULLETIN 17. 


EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. DaiILy VARIATIONS IN MILK AND BUTTER 
PRODUCTION OF Cows. 


BULLETIN 18. 


DAIRYING EXPERIMENTS. 


BULLETIN 10. 


_ EXPERIMENTS WITH OatTs, 1891. THE CHINCH BuG IN ILLINOIS, 1891-92. 


BULLETIN 20. 


FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH Corn, 1891. 


BULLETIN 21. 


HorRTICULTURE, A GENERAL REPORT. CORN CROSSING. SWEET Corn, 
THICKNESS OF PLANTING, 1891. THE LATE SEASON AND THE CORN CROp. 


BULLETIN 22. 


EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1891-92. 


BUGEE TING 3. 


EXPERIMENTS WITH Oats, 1892. 


BULLETIN 24. 


* VARIATIONS IN MILK. 


BULLETIN 25. 


FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH Corn, 1892. 


BULLETIN 26. 


Tue Forest TREE PLANTATION. 


BULLETIN 27. 


SOME NEW POINTs IN THE MANIPULATION OF THE BABCOCK MILK TEST. 


17-32 


33-48 


49 72 


73-104 


105-120 


I2I-13 


137-172 


173-204 


205-244 


245-248 


BULLETIN 26. 


GRAPES. TEST OF VARIETIES. A GRAPE DISEASE. (GRAPES, METHOD OF 
TRAINING. : ; : ‘ : ; A 249-272 


BULLETIN 20. 


ORANGE RuST IN RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES. A NEW FACTOR IN ECON- 
OMIC AGRICULTURE. : Ke ; ‘ ; : °° 273=320 


BULLETIN 30. 


BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES, VARIETY TESTS AND MANAGEMENT. . 321-332 


BULLETIN 31. 


CORN AND OATS EXPERIMENTS, 1893. ' ; : ~ | 333-388 


BULLETIN 32. 
An Acip TEST OF CREAM. : . ; : 389-396 


BULLETIN 33. 


THE CHINCH Bua IN ILLINOIS, 1894. ALKALINE TABLETS FOR TESTING THE 
ACIDITY OF CREAM. CERTIFIED TESTS oF Dairy Cows. : . 397-400 


BULLETIN 34. 


EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1893-94. EXPERIMENTS WITH OaATs, 1894. . 401-420 


BULLETIN 35. 


Tue Russian THISTLE IN ILLINOIS. ; ; ; : 421-424 


BULLETIN 36. 
Stock FEEDING INILLINOIS. . ; x i ' . 425-431 


INDEX. 3 oe OMG? He a ae 


‘ 


UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, 


Aoticultural Experiment. Station. 


CHAMPAIGN, AUGUST, 1891. 


BULLETIN NO. 14. 





CON LENDS: 
EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. 


DAILY VARIATIONS IN MILK AND BUTTER PRODUCTION oF Cows, 


EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. 


This article reports some of the results of experiments tried with 
wheat in the season 1890-91, with reference also to like experiments of 
previous years. } 

These experiments are reported: 

No. 65. Quantity of seed. 
No. 66. Time of sowing. 
No. 67. Depth of sowing. 
Nos. 62 and 69. Effect of fertilizers. 
No. 116. Test of varieties. 

_ The season of 1890-91 was more than usually favorable for wheat 
over most of Illinois, and the crop of the State was one of the best for 
many years.. The experiments reported, except No. 69, were made on 
the fertile dark colored prairie soil of the Station grounds at Cham- 
paign. Experiments with fertilizers were made at Flora, Odin, Nash- 
ville, and near Belleville. 

Trials for three years indicate that variations in quantity of seed 
between one and two bushels per acre have less effect on yield than 
other conditions. In 1891 the largest yield was from six pecks per acre; 
in 1890, from four and from eight pecks; in 1889, from five pecks. 


TU 





UW RC 


Ww 


BULLETIN NO. 17. | August, 


In 1891 sowing small kernels gave a larger yield than was obtained 
from the same weight of larger kernels, but less than from the same 
number of larger kernels. The kernels in the crop from the 
small seed were approximately as large as those from the larger seed. 

In two trials no injury resulted from rolling drilled wheat soon 
after sowing. 3 

The yields of five plats, sown at intervals of ten or twelve days 
from Sept. 2d to Oct. 14th, were all good. It is not certain that they 
were affected by the date of sowing. If the last sown plats be excepted, 
there was no appreciable difference in time of ripening, and very little 
including it. The quantity of straw and the number of stalks per square 
foot decreased from the earliest to the latest sowing. The average 
length of heads and weight of kernels increased from the first to the 
last, except in the case of the second sowing, which was better than the 
third. In view of danger from the Hessian fly and of undue growth of 
straw, very early sowing is not advisable; and the danger to late sown 
wheat from repeated freezing in winter or early spring makes it unsafe 
in this latitude to sow in October. . 

Covering wheat one inch deep gave better results than covering 
three inches, and much better than covering five inches. 

Trials with various commercial fertilizers on wheat indicate that on 
the soil of the Station grounds such use is not profitable. Barn-yard 
manure invariably produces a noticeable effect. Trials at Flora, Odin and 
Nashville show a marked increase in yield from use of barn-yard manure; 
those at Odin and Nashville, some increase from the use of superphos- 
phate of lime, but, in general, not enough to make its use profitable. 
At Belleville neither barn-yard manure nor superphosphate produced 
any considerable percentage of increase in yield. At Flora the plats 
with superphosphate yielded less than those without any fertilizer. In 
view of the results in former years, trials on a small scale of superphos- 
phate of lime and cattle tankage are recommended for wheat on the 
light colored soils of southern Illinois. The value of barn-yard manure 
for these soils can hardly be overestimated. 

Trials of 12 varieties of English cross-bred wheat and of two 
varieties from France indicate possible value from some, with, however, 
a probability that all will mature too late to be very desirable in Illinois. 
A trial of a promising new variety of spring wheat from Canada, as 
was to have been expected, did not give promising results here. 


Experiment No. 65. Wheat, Quantity of Seed. 

This experiment has been tried for three years. The season of 18g0- 
gi the same land was used as the preceding season. It was divided into 
seven plats each 2x 4 rods. The land was plowed about Sept. roth. It 
was harrowed twice and rolled Sept. 20th; and Sept. 22d the plats 
were sown with a drill at rates varying as closely as practicable from 
three to eight pecks per acre. The number of pounds of seed sown on 


1891. | EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. 3 


each plat is stated in thetable. Plat No.5 wassown with small kernels, 
averaging 45 kernels per gram. The others were sown with well 
cleaned wheat of the same variety, averaging 27 kernels per gram. 
The attempt was made to sow the same number of kernels on plats 5 
and 6,so that a comparison might be made of the effect of large and 
small seed, Plat No. 7 was rolled September 24th. The wheat was 
cut June 27, 1891, stacked July 8th, and threshed July 23d. The wheat 
was cut rather closer to the ground than in ordinary harvesting. July 
1st, on each of the seven plats, the number of stubs was counted on two 
squares two feet on a side. 
The table following gives the results: 


AMOUNT OF SEED; YIELD OF WHEAT AND STRAW; NUMBER OF STUBS PER SQ. FT. 























: aa 
wd Seed sown. Yield per acre. Weight 100 ker-|Stubs per 
Lb. per plat. | Pecks per acre. |Grain, bu. |Straw, lb. ee eh 
I 2.5 3 22 4,140 Zon 7 29 
2 3.25 4 2h. 3% 3,760 28.6 32 
3 4 5 22415 4,080 a 72 40 
4 6 8 26.83 5,100 28 48 
5 2.75 4 26 5,040 29.7 48 
6 475 6 29 5,400 30.9 53 
7 5 6 27.66 4,560 29.4 53 








The following table from bulletin No. 11, p. 348, gives the results 
of the trials in two preceding years: 


AMOUNT OF SEED, AND YIELD OF WHEAT AND STRAW. 








” a 

















Yield per acre. 
Number of pecks 
sown per acre. 1888-9. 1889-90. 
Grain, bu. Straw, lb. Grain, bu. Straw, lb. 
UEEEETE ietasie apo s,s s'sles | we ss ope ss ee wlan 24.6 2,215 
4 36.2 4,560 2872 2,620 
5 38.3 eS 7400 2,740 
oly 36.3 4,750 24.5 2,200 
8 35-4 4,540 28.3 2,740 




















*In 1889, a plat adjacent to this was drilled at the same rate and afterwards 
rolled. This plat yielded at the rate 26.5 bushels per acre. 

In 1891 the two largest yields were from sowing at the rate of six 
pecks per acre; the next from sowing eight pecks; with nearly as much 
from sowing four pecks of smaller seed. The yields from sowings of 
three, four and five pecks per acre of good seed were less than when six 
or eight pecks were sown. In 1890 the largest yields were from sow- 
ings at rate of eight and four pecks; with best yield from sowing six 
pecks. In 1889 the largest yield was from sowing five pecks, with 
yields almost the same from sowings of four and six pecks. 


4 BULLETIN “NOs 17: [ August, 


In the fall of 1889 a plat was rolled after being sown and yielded 
a little more than the adjoining plat not rolled. 

In 1890 a plat was rolled which yielded a little less than the ad- 
joining plat unrolled, but under like conditions otherwise. 

There was comparatively little difference in the weight of lots of 
100 kernels from each of the plats. Those from the plats sown with 
small kernels were slightly heavier than those from any other plat, with 
one exception. ‘The number of stalks per square foot was largest when 
six pecks per acre had been sown. 


Experiment No. 66. Wheat, Time of Sowing. 


In the trial for 1890-91 a tract of land was used which had been 
in oats in 1890, preceded by three crops of corn, and these by clover. 
The land was plowed at different dates from August 2d to 29th, but 
each plat sown had received like treatment as to plowing. The plow- 
ing was six inches deep, the land being rolled soon after plowing. The 
tract was divided into five plats two rods wide and a little over 51 rods 
long, containing .64 of an acre each. 

The wheat was drilled at the rate of one and one-half bushels per 
acre, as nearly as practicable, each plat being disked twice, harrowed 
twice and rolled the day it was sown or the day previous. The rainfall 
had been light and the ground was rather dry. After the last plat was 
prepared for seeding there was a rainfall of .51 inch, and the wheat was 
sown on it the next day. The dates of sowing were September 2, 12 
and 22, and October 2 and 14. 

The growth in the autumn was not strong. The two plats first 
sown made the largest growth, but did not appear to have so uniform a 
stand as the third and fourth sowings. The latest sowing went into the 
winter with a small and feeble growth. The Hessian fly made its ap- 
pearance on the earlier seeding, but did no appreciable injury. The 
winter was exceptionally mild and the spring unusually favorable for 
the wheat. The earlier sowings made a very good growth. The first 
sowing was tallest and had rather shorter heads than the later sown 
plats. Much of the wheat was five feet high. That last sown headed 
some days later than the others, but matured within a day or two of 
same date. There was no perceptible difference in the time of maturing 
of the other plats. There was 10 per cent or more of blasted or 
smutted heads. Aside from this, the plats attracted much favorable 
comment. Intelligent visitors could see no difference between the first 
four sowings. Large numbers of English sparrows did considerable 
damage before and after cutting; apparently most on the first sown 
plat, the injury decreasing in order of sowing. 

The wheat was harvested June 29th and threshed July 7th. A 
little rain fell the night before threshing, making the wheat “ tough ” in 
threshing, and a little was left in the straw. The number of stalks on 
areas of 4 sq. ft. was counted in six places in each of the five plats. The 


1891. | EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. 5 


aggregates for the 24 sq. ft.in each plat were: 1299, 1218, 991, 953 
and 860, showing a steady decrease from earliest to latest sowing. In 
one place in the fourth sowing the number of stalks was less than half 
the average of the others in that plat; but for this the fourth plat would 
have shown more stalks than the third. The largest number per sq. 
ft. was 63. In only six of the 24 areas counted was the number per 
sq. ft. less than 35. These numbers do not indicate the number of 
heads. The number of stubs was also counted in a distance of 65 inches 
in two rows of each of the five plats. The averages of the two rows, 
from first to last sowings, were: 1067, 1018, 927, 897 and 840, showing 
a constant decrease in number. 
The following table gives the results: 


YIELD PER PLAT, LB.; YIELD PER ACRE, BU.; STUBS PER SO. FT. 























Plat. Date of sowing. Yield, lb. | Yield per acre, bu. | Stubs per sq. ft. 
t Sept. 2 1,186 30.88 54 
ya Sept. 12 1, 386 36.08 Taree 
3 Sept. 22 1,324 34.46 | 41 
4 OQct2 I, 398 36.40 39 
5 Oct.. 14 I,310 | 34.11 36 








All the yields were large for this region, the average being 34.6 
bu. per acre. Especially with the uncertainty caused by injury by the 
birds, it is not safe to say that the yield was affected by the time of 
sowing. As reported in Bulletin No. 11 of this Station, the yields in 
1889 from sowings at different dates were: September 22d, 38.2 
bu.; September 29th, 40.4 bu.; October 8th, 36.1 bu. In 1890 the yields 
were: September 12th, 32.4 bushels; September 23d, 29.1 bu.; October 
Ath, 20.8 bu.; October 15th, 12.1 bu. In March, 1890, there were 
severe freezings which injured the later sown wheat more than the 
earlier sown. In each of the three years there was a decrease in the 
yield of straw from the earliest to the latest sowing. 

An attempt was made to select the largest heads from each plat. 
Of these 50 from each plat were compared. It was found that the 
earliest sowing had slightly the shortest and lightest heads, with least 
number of kernels; the latest sowing made the best showing in these 
particulars. The average number of kernels per head was 43. 

The table shows results from each plat. 


COMPARISON OF FiFTY HEADS FROM EACH PLAT. 


























Plat Average | Number of Weight of Weight of 
length, in. | kernels. kernels, grams. heads. grams. 
I Si Ow 2,023 64.2 85.9 
2 3.72 | 2er02 6772 go 
3 3.69 2,141 65.2 87.6 
4 3.78° 2,189 65.7 88.5 
5 3.96 2,364 73.6 99.8 











6 BULLETIN NO. 1%. [ August, 


Experiment No. 67. Wheat, Depth of Sowing. 


September 27, 1890, in each of nine rows one rod long and one 
foot apart, 198 kernels of selected seed wheat were planted. This is 
one kernel for each inch. The wheat in rows 1, 2, 3 was covered one 
inch deep; thatin rows 4, 5, and 6, three inches; that in rows 7,8, and 9, 
five inches. An extra row was planted on each side. 

June 30, 1891, the wheat was harvested. The stand was best on 
rows I to 3, good on rows 4 to 6, and poor on rows 7 tog. The wheat 
was about four feet high. The yield is not reported, as the English 
sparrows had done some injury. There was, as in all the wheat on the 
Station grounds, a very perceptible percentage of smutted heads. The 
facts as to each row are given in the table. 


ROW eceeke eae ees I 2 g 4 5 6 , 8 9 

Total stalks....... 648 648 Vio 541 615 623 (4177p eee 
With good heads... 608 603 662 498 585 580 410 444 155 
Without heads .... 16 3 4 12 4 LO fe) 2 10 


Showing smut 2...) 24 95422) ages Teen 2 tae 1 ees 4 


The indications were that in this favorable season shallow covering 
was decidedly better than deep. 


LEixperiment No. 62. Wheat, Effect of Fertilizers. 


The trials made in 1889 and 1890 with commercial fertilizers of 
different kinds for wheat on the Station grounds did not indicate, with 
certainty, any appreciable effect from their use. In the fall of 1890 a 
trial was made to see if any effect would be produced upon wheat from 
fertilizers which had been applied in unusually large quantities in the 
spring of 1889. (Two crops of corn had been grown on the land with- 
out appreciable influence by the fertilizers.) | Seven plats were used 
each 2x4 rods. The land was disked and harrowed twice, September 
20, 1890, and the wheat drilled at the rate of about one and one-half 
bushels per acre, 34 lb. being sown on 56 square rods. The corn had 
been cut September 16th, and removed from the plats. 

The table gives results. 


YIELDS OF WHEAT IN 1891 FROM PLATS UPON WHICH HAD BEEN PUT COMMERCIAL 
FERTILIZERS IN LARGE AMOUNTS IN 188g. 











Fertilizers applied in Pounds per | Grain per | Straw per | Wt. 1,000 ker- 
1889 only. acre. acre, bu acre, lb. nels, grams. 

Dissolved bone-black... 2,000 

1~ Sulphate of potash..... 600 20.83 3,960 29.45 
Sulphate of ammonia.. 600 

2)" GIN OFIG Ts aie Goo with its Peat ehc ge ae eee ee 23.08 4,200 30.4 

3. Dissolved bone-black... 2,000 23.33 3,840 30.5 

4S NONE 5. ie aclask a cle pest den ae ere 22.33 3,440 20,21 

5 Sulphate of potash..... 600 18.16 2,800 29.5 

GO UNONGS Ie. Sate re ee ee eee 25 4,160 30.1 

7 Sulphate of ammonia .. 600 9 eS 3,760 30.2 














‘1891. | EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. y| 


It will be noticed that the smallest yield of both grain and straw 
was from the plat to which sulphate of potash had been applied; the 
largest from one of the unfertilized plats. The average yield of the un- 
fertilized plats was a little more than that of those on which the fertil- 
izers had been applied. No sufficient reason appears for the small 
yield of plat No. 5, unless the fertilizer produced an unfavorable effect. 
The yields were noticeably smaller than those of the plats adjacent in 
which effect of time of sowing was tested. There was little difference 
in weight of the kernels. 

The results of all the trials here with commercial fertilizers on 
wheat, as also on corn, do not show that it is generally profitable to 
apply these on the black prairie soils of central Illinois. 

On the University farms the effect of a liberal application of stable 
manure made in 1888 was plainly seen in wheat of 1890-91 in a more 
vigorous growth of straw. 


Experiment No. 69. Wheat, Effect of Fertilizers. 

For three years past experiments with commercial fertilizers on 
wheat have been tried at points further south than the Station grounds, 
For 1890-91 the trials were made on the farms of W. W. Bowler, 
Flora; A. M. Woodward & Co., Odin; Chas. Stephani, Nashville, 
and Fred Helms, Wilderman, near Belleville. These are all not far from 
latitude 38° 30’, and, except the last named, on the level light colored 
soils, characteristic of that region. Mr. Helms’s soil is darker colored and 
naturally very fertile. 

The land at Mr. Bowler’s had been in grass from 1883 to 1888. 
In 188g it produced about 40 bushels of corn per acre, In 18go it was 
sown to oats, but the crop failed. The land at Odin had been thrown 
out of cultivation for several years until 1889, when it produced a fair 
crop of corn. In 1890 it was sown to oats, which failed to produce a 
crop. The land at Nashville had been in cultivation about 40 years— 
in corn in 1883 and 1884; oats in 1885; wheat in 1886; oats in 1887; 
wheat in 1888 and 1889; and in oats in 1890. Mr. Helms’s land has 
been cultivated by him 22 years without manure. It was in wheat on 
clover sod in 1889-90, and yielded about 30 bushels per acre. 

In each case, except at Flora, nine plats 2x 20 rods, containing one- 
fourth acre each, were used. To plat 1 im each case five wagon loads 
of barn-yard manure were applied, and roo lbs. of glue factory super- 
phosphate to plats 3, 4, 6, 7, and g. On the farm of Mr. Bowler, 
near Flora, g additional plats of the same size were used, 50 lb. of super- 
phosphate being applied to plats 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16. The barn-yard 
manure and superphosphate were applied before sowing. 

In each case the land had the treatment usual in the region in pre- 
paring for wheat. The wheat was sown with a drill about September 
20,1890. The winter was favorable for the crop, When visited at the 
last of April, as well as at harvest time, the effect of the barn-yard 


8 BULLETIN NO. 17. | [| August, 


manure in stimulating growth was very apparent; that of the super- 
phosphate, less so. The wheat was carefully harvested, and threshed 
from the shock, except at Flora, where Mr. Bowler was compelled to 
put it in stack and thresh August 20th. Mr, Helms estimates that his 
crop was damaged one-fifth or more by plant lice. The wheat at Nash- 
ville was measured; at the other places, weighed. It was all of good 
quality. 
The results are given in the table: 


EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS UPON WHEAT, 1890-91. 









































| | 
No.of plat/.4<: eas pee) | Ate 4 | 9 > 2 5 8 | | > 
| | | 3 3 
3 sy 
20 loads 400 lbs. superphosphate “ No fesHlieee Ls 
manure, per acre. 
Yield per acre, bushels. 
Hloragmene can 25.47||18.2 |20.2 |15.2 |19 |16.53/17.83|20.07|20.93|18.13|19.71 
Odin tote te eee 25.47/|I7.93|19.2 |20.66|20.06,21 19.85/19. 33|20 06/19.53|19.64 
Nashville ...... 28 16 16 16 15 17 16 IO 10 Io IO 
Belleville ...... 40.7 ||40.23/40.01/39.05/39.8 /39.16/39.85/35.25|/360.9 |37.8 |36.65 
AVOTARG «.4 su et 29.91|| 23.38 21.50 





























The average yields were good; that at Belleville especially so, 
notwithstanding the injury by plant lice. Compared with the un- 
manured plats, those to which superphosphate of lime was applied at 
the rate of 400 lbs. per acre show an increase of 17% bushels per acre. 
The average increase at Nashville was six bushels; at Belleville over 
three bushels. At Odin there was only a very slight increase, while at 
Flora the unmanured plats gave a somewhat larger yield than those re- 
ceiving superphosphate, 

Gamtpact with the unmanured plats, the plats receiving barn-yard 
manure at the rate of zo ordinary two-horse wagon loads per acre 
showed an average increase of over 83 bushels per acre. At Nashviile 
the increase was 18 bushels—-from 10 to 28 bushels; at Flora and Odin 
nearly 6 bushels, and at Belleville 4 bushels per acre. | 

The cost of the application of the superphosphate at Nashville was 
about repaid by the increased yield; at neither of the other places was 
this the case, while at Flora the yield was slightly lessened on the plats 
receiving this fertilizer. 

The five splats at Flora each receiving superphosphate of lime at 
the rate of 200 lb. per acre gave yields at rate of 17.33, 16.8, 18.46, 14.60 
and 17.33 bu., an average of 16.9 bu. per acre. The unfertilized plats 
gave yields at rate of 19.26, 16.86, 16.73 and 16.5 bu., an average of 
17.33 bu. per acre. It cannot be said with confidence that this lighter 
application did either good or harm. 

The results of all these trials are not encouraging as to the profitable 


1891. | EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1890-91. 9 


use of superphosphate of lime, or dissolved bone, for wheat on the light 
colored soils of southern Illinois. In view of the results in previous 
years, however, trials on a small scale are recommended, as also of cattle 
or hog tankage, at the rate of about 400 lbs. per acre. The very great 
value of barn-yard manure for these soils is well illustrated by these ex- 
periments, most noticeably at Nashville. 


Experiment No. 116. Wheat, Test of Varieties. 

Trials were made of very small quantities of 12 varieties of cross-bred 
wheats received from Carter’s, of London, England. These wheats were 
exhibited at the Show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England 
at Windsor, in 1889, the parent stocks also being shown. They very 
favorably impressed the writer. The samples received were of fine ap- 
pearance. They were sown September 27, 1890, in rows one foot 
apart. The results were not conclusive. It is probable that most, if 
not all, the varieties will mature too late to be very desirable here. 
Two or three may be considered promising. They will be tested 
further. 

The U. S. Department of Agriculture sent the Station packages 
of two varieties of wheat labeled “ Hybride Lamed” and “ Hybride 
Dattel.” The kernels were remarkably plump and attractive in ap- 
pearance. Through a mistake of the postal authorities these wheats 
were not received until October 4th. They were sown October 8th, 
and made a fair growth and gave fair yields. They were a week or 
more later in maturing than the ordinary varieties. Positive judgment 
as to their value for this region is suspended until further trial. 

A small package of Campbell’s white chaff, described as a new 
spring variety originating in Simcoe Co., Ontario, was received from 
Canada and sown inrows in thespring. The quantity received was small. 
The English sparrow injured the ripened grain somewhat so that only 
general impressions can be reported. These were not favorable; but 
spring wheat growing has not been found generally profitable for this 
region, and perhaps, can not be fairly tested here, 

G, E. Morrow, A.M., Agriculturist. 





Daily Variation in the Milk and Butter Production of Cows. 


The quantity of milk produced by a cow and the quality of the 
milk are influenced directly by the individuality, and indirectly by the 
breed of the animal. Each breed is only a group of individuals of the 
same’ kind. The breeds differ from each other by certain characteris- 
tics which are preserved so long as conditions are not sufficiently strong 
to change them. To the distinct characteristics belong the disposition 
to produce a large quantity of milk, or milk prossessing a specific pecu- 
liarity, such as high content of butter fat and casein. 


10 BULLETIN NO, 17. [ August, 


Numerous observations show that with nearly all cows the milk 
production follows the general course of decreasing in quantity of milk 
and butter, and increasing in percentage of butter fat as the period of 
lactation progresses. 

By weighing and testing the milk of cows every day, I have ob- 
served that lines representing the daily production of milk and of butter 
fat do not take the course of a straight line down an inclined plane, but 
are broken, zigzag lines. The results of these observations are given 
here in plates on pp. 12-15. 

The days from May tst to July 5th are represented by the perpen- 
dicular lines in the plates, every fifth day being numbered at the top. 

The figures on the left of the plates represent: 


First, per cents of butter fat in the milk produced each day, the 
horizontal lines representing successively an increase of .2 or 1-5 of one 
per cent. 


Second, pounds of milk produced each day, each horizontal line 
showing successively an increase of .2 or 1-5 of one pound. 


Third, the pounds of butter fat produced each day, calculated by 
multiplying the pounds of milk by the per cent of butter fat found in 
the milk for that day. Except for cow No. 5, the horizontal lines rep- 
resent successively an increase of .04 or 1-25 of one pound of butter 
fat; for No, 5, they represent .o2 of 1-50 of a pound. 

The intersections of the broken and perpendicular lines show the 
point where the figures in the left hand margin are to be sought. 

The dotted line on plate 1, represents the night milk, and the solid 
broken line on the same plate, the morning milk of cow No. 2. 

There still remains a considerable amount of this material which 
cannot be printed for lack of space. The milk from each of five cows 
has been weighed and tested every day since May 27th. A diagram 
of the production of a cow during the whole period of lactation would 
be very instructive. So far as is known, this is the first time the sug- 
gestion has been made. We shall continue the diagrams. 

The plates given here are an illustration only of the idea, and it is 
hoped that by these diagrams the reader is given an opportunity to see 
more at a glance than could be readily obtained from the mass of figures 
which they represent. 

The history of these cows is given on page 511, bulletin No. 16, of 
this Station, 

Cow No. 2 is a very nervous and somewhat vicious animal, while 
cow No. 5 is a mild-eyed, “‘mulley cow.” 

The broken lines of the diagram show the production of the cows 
from day to day, and are evidence to illustrate, /7rs¢, that the variation 
in the quantity and quality of the milk of one cow at each milking is 
greater than the variation in the same cow’s milk each day: compare 
plate 1 with plate 2. 


1891. | MILK AND BUTTER PRODUCTION OF COWS. Il 


Second, that under exactly the same conditions the daily milk of 
one cow varies more than that of another: compare plates 2 and 3. 

Third, that the mixed milk of three cows is more uniform in amount 
and richness from one day to another than the milk of one cow. 

The record of each milking of cow No. 2 (plate 1) shows the 
general tendency to equalize the milk production by going to both ex- 
tremes. May roth she gave 12.75 lb. milk in the morning and 7 lb. at 
night. The morning milk contained 6.5 per cent of butter fat, the 
night milk only 2 per cent. The average per milking of this cow for 
three months has been 9.35 lb. milk and 3.92 per cent of fat. For in- 
stance: in general, it can be seen that in this record when one milking 
was above the average in quantity and quality, the next milking went 
below, and vice versa. 

During the 66 days represented in plate 2, the daily quantity of milk 
(from both milkings) varied from 23 to 17 lb.; the per cent of butter 
fat in the daily milk from 3 to 6.1, and the pounds of butter fat in the 
daily milk from 0.56 to 1.29. 

The daily record of cow No.5 for the 66 days shows a very uniform 
per cent of butter fat, varying only from 2.8 to 3.4. The same regu- 
larity is seen in the total daily production of butter fat, 0.65 to 0.42 lb.; 
and plate 3 shows that the course of the line representing the pounds of 
of butter fat gradually declines from May rst to July 5th. A decrease 
in the pounds of milk from day to day is also shown in the record of 
this cow. 

Cow No. 2 is a striking example of occasional extreme variations 
in milk production, and, contrary to the general statement, the variation 
in quantity and quality coincide. ‘That is, when she gave a small mess 
of milk it had a per cent of butter fat below her average, and the 
largest milkings were of her richest milk. This does not hold true in 
the average per cow calculated from the daily records of three cows, for 
the reason that the milk of cow No.1 (not given here for lack of space) 
showed just the opposite tendency from cow No.2. Nearly every time 
when the milk of cow No. 1 increased in quantity it decreased in per- 
centage of butter fat; and as the pounds of milk per day decreased, the 
per cent of fat in the milk increased. 

The record of cow No. 5 on this point shows a very uniform per- 
centage of butter fat from day to day regardless of the quantity of milk 
produced. 

These individual characteristics may be more concisely stated thus— 


Cow No. z. The richest milk is given when the quantity is small. 
The quantity decreased somewhat. 

Cow No.2. The richest milk is given when the quantity is large. 
The quantity did not permanently decrease. 


Cow No.5. The richness of her milk was very uniform and 
changed but slightly. The quantity decreased permanently. 


12 BULLETIN NO, L7. [| August, 


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May, June 


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1891. | MILK AND BUTTER PRODUCTION OF COWS. 15 





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16 BULLETIN NO. I. | [ August, 


Beginning June 18th, cow No. 2 was given 5 lb. of wheat bran 
daily; one week later this was increased to 7 lb. perday. The other two 
cows got nothing but pasture feed, which gradually grew very short in 
July on account of the severe drought. 

By comparing plates 2 and 4 it can be seen that the upper three 
broken lines across plate 4 are not so irregular as the three lines across 
plate 2. This makes it very probable that the greater the number of 
cows in a dairy is the more uniform will be the production from day to 
day. | 

During the time of this record, May tst, to July 5th, these cows 
have been exposed to uniformly dry whether. The rainfall for the 
month of May was .89 in.; June, 2.18 in.; total, 3.07 inches. The aver- 
age of 10 years for these two months is g.5 inches. 

It is also of some interest to compare the line representing the daily 
pounds of milk shown in plate 4 with one showing the mean daily 
temperature. 

Although there are exceptions, this comparison shows that as a rule 
the number of pounds of milk was low when the mean daily temperature 
was high, and the number was high when the temperature was low. In 
other words, these two lines give something of the appearance of an irreg- 
ular picket fence with each picket sharpened at both ends. 

The following table shows the highest, lowest, and average dazly 
yield of milk, per cent of butter fat and pounds of butter fat produced 
by each of six cows from May 1 to August 1, 1891. 

Also the average daily record per cow calculated from the total 
daily production of the whole herd. 


YIELD OF MILK; PER CENT. OF BUTTER FAT; YIELD OF BUTTER. 











Pounds of milk. |Percent of butter fat.! Pounds of butter fat. 
No. of cow and i eee 


period of milking Daily yield. Daily yield. Daily yield. 
after May rst. 

































































Highest. | Lowest. | Average. | Highest. | Lowest. | Average. | Highest. | Lowest. | Average. 
No. 1, to July 27, 13 5.5: | TOS ae 4.25 | 5.28 |". C0onmaae eh2G 
No. 2, to August 1, 23 15 18.7 645 | 3 4.7 4-207" eae .885 
No. 3, to July 1, rT 4 7.9 Wtaso 2.9 3.50 | 9.300 sane 28 
No. 4, to August 1, 45 25.5 | 38.2 3.95.) 7 2.99 | 1:71 603 461. £41 
No. 5, to August 1, 20:5 | 10 15.9 3.6 2.8 oka 653 | .33 .498 
No. 6, July 6toAug. 1} 26.5 | 20.5 | 24 4.4 ai37, 3.31 NUT sr OG teem .792 
Average for the herd,| 22 16.6 | 19.44 | 4.58 3.26 3.92 | .858 483 -797 





This table as well as the diagrams show that the test of a cow’s 
milk for one day only may give a decidedly wrong impression of the 


cow’s capacity for a week, month, or year. 
E. H. Farrincton, M.S., Chemist. 


UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, 


Agricultural Experiment Station. 


PRESS BULLETIN, No. 5. 








Bulletin No. 18 of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station is de- 
voted to Darryinc ExPErIMENTs. 


The tests of dairy cows at the Illinois State Fair and at the American 
Dairy Show, Chicago, 1891, were made by the chemist of the Station and 
the bulletin contains a report upon the tests, and upon the working dairy 
maintained at the Dairy Show. 


Continuing the investigation of milk tests, the Babcock test is found to 
be of great value in testing both the skim-milk and the butter milk, thus 
furnishing a check upon the processes of butter making. The results 
obtained emphasize the necessity of proper attention to both the tempera- 
ture and acidity of the cream when churned. 


A device for measuring the acid used with the Babcock test is explain- 
ed and an illustration of the device is given. Also a method of marking 
test bottles is given. 


Further investigation has been made of the method of testing milk by 
“composite” samples in which no preservative has been used—the sample, 
though sour, being put into good condition for the test by the use of con- 
centrated lye. The practical results have been very satisfactory. 


In trials of different methods of cream separation, the best results with 
Cooley cans in which the milk was set 10 inches deep were obtained 
when the milk stood 48 hours. But the most complete separation by setting 
the milk was obtained when the milk was set three inches deep in pans for 
24 hours. 


The results from the work on cream raising by dilution, show [1] that 
with rich milk and with that from a new milch cow, the cream rose as com- 
pletely when the new milk was quickly cooled to 70°F. without the addition 
of water as it did when diluted with an equal quantity of water. [2] The 
rising of the cream was more complete in a given time, and was hastened 
by diluting the milk from cows that were not fresh or that gave a consider- 
able quantity of average milk. 





If you use the above concerning our bulletin, which will be out ina 
few days, we shall be glad to have the paragraph below follow. 
W. L. Priuussury, Secretary of Station. 





This bulletin will be sent free of charge to any person engaged in 
farming in the state of Illinois who will send his address to 
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, 
Champaign, Ill. 


3 0112 115840214 


VINA 


